One of the elements of new equipment (and indeed just about any boxed product) that I hate is the amount of packing and padding that goes into the product. Most of that, especially with computer and IT items is Polystyrene Foam, or Styrofoam.
It's a very good packing component, but has problems when you want to get rid of it, because it isn't biodegradable or easily recyclable (most current recycling methods rely on using comparatively toxic chemicals, which complicates the process, and reduces the effectiveness of recycling in the first place). Even when it is possible, most companies and goverment agencies concentrate on the relatively easy recycling of plastic, glass and paper/cardboard.
One of the elements of new equipment (and indeed just about any boxed product) that I hate is the amount of packing and padding that goes into the product. Most of that, especially with computer and IT items is Polystyrene Foam, or Styrofoam.
It's a very good packing component, but has problems when you want to get rid of it, because it isn't biodegradable or easily recyclable (most current recycling methods rely on using comparatively toxic chemicals, which complicates the process, and reduces the effectiveness of recycling in the first place). Even when it is possible, most companies and goverment agencies concentrate on the relatively easy recycling of plastic, glass and paper/cardboard.
I'm a big watch collector. I tend to collect the slightly more unusual end of the range, either they are leaders for their time (I have one of the first ever Casio Pro-Trek watches that combined thermometer, barometric pressure and compass) or just particularly odd.
There's a good list of the Top 10 Geek Watches available this morning that may be of interest to those readers who want something that makes them look the geek - at least to the people who recognize such things in the first place.
Of those in the list, I don't have any (although I'm just about to purchase a Suunto X9i to go with the X6HR I already have), but then I'm also surprised that the Fossil Asteroids watch, one of which I purchased in New York last year, is not in the list.
I'm a big watch collector. I tend to collect the slightly more unusual end of the range, either they are leaders for their time (I have one of the first ever Casio Pro-Trek watches that combined thermometer, barometric pressure and compass) or just particularly odd.
There's a good list of the Top 10 Geek Watches available this morning that may be of interest to those readers who want something that makes them look the geek - at least to the people who recognize such things in the first place.
Of those in the list, I don't have any (although I'm just about to purchase a Suunto X9i to go with the X6HR I already have), but then I'm also surprised that the Fossil Asteroids watch, one of which I purchased in New York last year, is not in the list.
Just under a week since I got the approval email telling me that my application for a Try before you Buy T1000 had been approved, today my T2000 (no, that's not a typo) has arrived.
First impressions:
For some reason it is slightly larger than I expected - that's even thought I've seen the V40z in the flesh (a big beast) and the X2100 and X4200 (the T2000 shares its case with the X4200).
The unit has by far the best and most useful 'on-box' set of diagrams and guidance that I've seen. There are guides on changing fans, PSUs, RAM and PCI cards, with colour-coded guides for whether each operation is a hot, or cold, plug item.
The article comes just after Microsoft announce that they think OpenOffice.org (which shares code with StarOffice) is 10 years behind Microsoft's own Office suite.
One of the comments I make at the end article relates to the look and feel:
If I have one criticism of StarOffice it is that the application is so like Microsoft Office that many will fail to see the difference. While file compatibility is one thing, virtually duplicating the look and feel of an application is another. I am not entirely sure it is the right approach, but I appreciate that to compete with Office we should have an application that is as simple and easy to use as the suite we are replacing.
This basically follows on from a personal belief that duplicating functionality doesn't necessarily mean duplicating style and interface. That goes across a range of topics and products, and I think a good example is Flickr, which provides an alternative to the photo interfaces that had been available before, while still supporting, and indeed improving on the funcitonality offered by other photo sharing sites.
Just under a week since I got the approval email telling me that my application for a Try before you Buy T1000 had been approved, today my T2000 (no, that's not a typo) has arrived.
First impressions:
For some reason it is slightly larger than I expected - that's even thought I've seen the V40z in the flesh (a big beast) and the X2100 and X4200 (the T2000 shares its case with the X4200).
The unit has by far the best and most useful 'on-box' set of diagrams and guidance that I've seen. There are guides on changing fans, PSUs, RAM and PCI cards, with colour-coded guides for whether each operation is a hot, or cold, plug item.
The article comes just after Microsoft announce that they think OpenOffice.org (which shares code with StarOffice) is 10 years behind Microsoft's own Office suite.
One of the comments I make at the end article relates to the look and feel:
If I have one criticism of StarOffice it is that the application is so like Microsoft Office that many will fail to see the difference. While file compatibility is one thing, virtually duplicating the look and feel of an application is another. I am not entirely sure it is the right approach, but I appreciate that to compete with Office we should have an application that is as simple and easy to use as the suite we are replacing.
This basically follows on from a personal belief that duplicating functionality doesn't necessarily mean duplicating style and interface. That goes across a range of topics and products, and I think a good example is Flickr, which provides an alternative to the photo interfaces that had been available before, while still supporting, and indeed improving on the funcitonality offered by other photo sharing sites.
LinuxPlanet have just recently published my very detailed StarOffice 8 review. To summarize, I like it, and with a few caveats, it gives Microsoft Office a run for its money.
The article is spread over a number pages, with screenshots, a brief TOC is below:
The USA Today has picked up on the issues of listening to loud music on your iPod in For iPod users, a budding problem. Overall the article is a good summation of what is bad aboud loud-listening, and the dangers of iPods, MP3 players and headphones in general. It is certainly better than some articles I've read on the same topic.
To be honest, I can't really see what the big fuss is about. iPods are not the first headphone capable device that provides for volumes larger than are sensible. Nor is it the only device available that belts out tunes so loud it makes your ears bleed.